New Mexico CDT (Gila Natl Forest) where to go?

[Yoyo]

I was thinking of doing a 3-day loop in the Gila National Forest near the Continental Divide after my Big Bend trip this weekend. I'll be driving west from Houston, Texas, on I-10, so Silver City, NM, seems the closest town. Any ideas? I hate to carry water, so there must be streams nearby. I want to see mountains, so higher elevation forest preferred to desert. Wanting to do a moderate loop, maybe 25 miles?

Please respond soon as we leave tomorrow.

[Denis Hazlewood]

David,
You might try the northwest corner of the Gila Wilderness. Take HWY 180, out of Silver City, to the Glenwood/Mogollon area. There's a trail head in Sheridan Gulch that loops, clockwise and exits down the South Fork of Whitewater Creek. There's a shorter loop that exits down Little Whitewater Creek. The route starts at 6200', tops out at 9600' and ends at about 5500'. There's a Forest Service office in Glenwood to check out local conditions.

I have been thinking of moving to the Glenwood area for about 10 years. There are many places for backpacking in that area.

[Joe Clement]

The Catwalk is supposed to be a cool trip out of Silver.

[Denis Hazlewood]

The catwalk is along the lower stretch of Whitewater Creek. I've seen photos and it's wild.

[Brian Morgan]

How far is that drive from houston? I'm east of you in the Beaumont area.

[Joe Clement]

Hey, I have a brother-in-law in Silver City. If you see him……..could you punch him in the nose for me?

[Denis Hazlewood]

Joe,
I've only been in Silver City once, and that was in the dead of winter. My impression was that Silver City was, in and of itself, a punch in the nose. WMMV. Of course your brother in law might have moved there from Fresno, and thinks he died and went to heaven.

[Joe Clement]

Nah, he moved there from SE New Mexico, and he's still trying to figure out what trees are.

[Denis Hazlewood]

In the Llano Estacado the tree is KIng.

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